Brett Brown might not be in Philadelphia for much longer.
The 76ers coach could be fired if his team loses to Raptors in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, according to a report from the New York Times .
Sixers, meanwhile, will be swamped with what-next questions if they don’t advance.
Beyond the uncertain fates of Butler, Harris and the sharpshooting JJ Redick, rumblings in league coaching circles have grown louder by the day that 76ers Coach Brett Brown needs an NBA finals berth to keep his job. Brown, I’m told, has little chance of surviving a second-round exit.
Philadelphia is 178-314 since Brown took over in 2013-14. It struggled in the beginning but drafting two All-Stars in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid has helped bring about a resurgence.
The 76ers surpassed 50 wins in their last two seasons and traded for top talents Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris this year, giving them one of basketball's best lineups on paper.
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Nevertheless, Philadelphia's win-now mentality doesn't appear to have outgrown its highly popularized "trust the process" slogan, as it has not won an NBA championship since 1983.
Embiid is arguably the most dominant big man in basketball when healthy, Simmons' rare length at the point guard position creates a plethora of mismatches and Butler has proven to be one of the NBA's best closers.
If the 76ers can't get the job done Sunday in Toronto, something drastic could be on the way.
"I’ve been fortunate to be in a few Game 7’s and they’re very unique," Brown said Thursday after Philadelphia's Game 6 win. "They’re special. They are a life lesson, a life opportunity."
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